Eva was one of the first animals at the zoo in Brăila, and for 32 years she witnessed the passage of time 1there. She saw how the park was set up, how animals appeared and later disappeared, as other creatures took their place. She saw caregivers coming and going, directors appointed and dismissed, but she remained steadfast in the same pen. Her vision blurred, her hearing diminished, but the hope for a better life never faded. AMP monitored her case for years, and in April, a Libearty team traveled to Brăila to take custody of Eva.
Tormented by her own cub
When the Libearty rescue team arrived at the scene, the bear’s condition was good – as good as that of a 100-year-old human. Eva lived in the company of her seven-year-old son, Costică. The old bear had had enough of Costică – the youngster’s lightning energy exhausted her. He nursed until the age of six, growing as much in a year as other bears do in ten, like Prince Charming in the fairy tale. The young boy would have continued nursing, but the mother bear shriveled caring for the infant-bachelor, and she would have done anything for a few moments of peace and relaxation. Taking into consideration her age, the Libearty team analyzed the risks of anesthesia and decided to rescue Eva without tranquilizers. A transportation cage was installed at the entrance of her shelter, and Costică was locked in his den the evening before. At daybreak, Eva was already waiting impatiently inside the transportation cage, ready to board for the journey that would change her life. She was tested for infections, and – to our joy – the results were negative. All along the way, her condition was closely monitored, and the bear arrived safely at Zarnesti. Her first encounter with the sanctuary was a shy one. After years of captivity, Eva stepped again on land left by nature to be conquered by these furry miracles. She smelled the grass; she carefully investigated the oaks and drank water from the pool. With vision blurred by old age, she noticed the other bears from the second enclosure, who approached the fence and greeted her. Today, she doesn’t have to be mother to a 400 kilo bear, nor an exhibit for the curious eyes of tourists. She can just be Eva, a regular bear, as nature created her….
